Champions League Group Stages

First topic message reminder :

The draw is tonight and we could have some potentially crazy strong groups, Manchester City have a 50% chance of being in the same group as Bayern Munich or Barcelona.

What is the tie everybody wants to see in the group stages?

id be delighted if i were celtic. what a group that is! all four teams in that group are or have been european giants with celtic having their own history, just a fantastic group to look at.

i cant wait to see arsenal finish third

Group F is the toughest. City actually got away quite light I think, you'd think they can get 2nd fairly easily in that group, Bayern are an issue but from pot 2 they got away with it. Easiest group they've had to face.

Im sure United will scrap through the group.

Lennon's reaction was hilarious, won't go through but will enjoy it nonetheless.

Arsenal have tough matches against Napoli & Dortmund, at least if they finish 3rd they have a chance of winning the Europa league.

I'd still fancy Arsenal to get out of that group.

I think Celtic v Ajax would have been a good game last season when they were more evenly matched but Celtic will do well to avoid nil points.

FreekShow wrote:I'd still fancy Arsenal to get out of that group.

I'd expect Dortmund and Napoli to get out to be honest, we all know how good Benitez is in Europe. Arsenal seriously have their work cut out, I'm not even convinced they'll finish third.

What a bum deal for Arsenal. And Chelsea have got a urine easy group. You look at some of those groups and some look not even worth watching, whereas others will be amazing every game.

I'd expect them to finish above Marseille definitely. It's obviously going to be about how well they do at home but if they can bag 7 points at home and snatch a win away then 10 points should be enough.

It's obviously a tough ask but they have the pedigree. I wouldn't back against them anyway. Gonna be interesting.

City's group is intriguing.

United will top their group.
City will fail...again, and finish 3rd.
Chelsea should top their group, but Basel could be tricky.
Arsenal will finish 3rd behind Dortmund and Napoli.
Celtic will finish 3rd behind Barca and Milan.

Chelsea to win the whole thing I reckon.

How the hell did Ribery win the Best Player in Europe award? I know Bayern won, but I just don't seem to see what a lot of others see in Ribery. Never fails to disappoint.

IMO Celtic have it the easiest whilst Man City look likely to go through. Man Utd will be tested, I did predicted that they'd face Milan, Leverkusen & R Sociedad, the draw has given man utd R Sociedad, Levekusen & Donetsk.....so 2 out of 3 isn't bad.


Moyes's men need to start winning their matches otherwise I reckon they could fail.

Man City will probably go through with some ease.

Celtic, I really feel for you and your supporters...


May the games bring joy and excitement from the start.... 

Crimey wrote:How the hell did Ribery win the Best Player in Europe award? I know Bayern won, but I just don't seem to see what a lot of others see in Ribery. Never fails to disappoint.

http://www.oneworldsports.com/stories/franck-ribery-improbably-worlds-best

Decent article explaining what he does.

He's improved his work rate & defensive responsibilities but `best player` award is a joke, when you see the impact Messi or Ronaldo had. In my opinion, he was a cog in a well oiled machine, however others areas of the team and players like Muller, Schweinsteiger or Robben deserve equal recognition.

As for the group stage, Mourinho must be laughing. Moyes will qualify & City`s group is hardly difficult apart from Bayern, should get runner up spot. For Wenger, its horrific but that's the way it goes sometimes. Tough to qualify but certainly not out of the question, especially with some new signings coming in the next few days.

Robben shouldn't have been anywhere near, he only started 11 games in the league last season due to injury.

I'd say it was just deserts on Arsenal to get the tough group, they should never have been in the first pot apart from the ridiculous pointing system that is used to keep certain clubs in it.

LOL at Arsenal  

However i do feel Celtic, but im sure they will treat us all to some magical nights at Celtic Park and cause an upset or 2. You never know they MIGHT be able to sneak into the Europa League via 3rd spot, but i highly doubt it. 

United and Chelsea should do fine. Never know with City.

Hero wrote:I'd say it was just deserts on Arsenal to get the tough group, they should never have been in the first pot apart from the ridiculous pointing system that is used to keep certain clubs in it.

To be fair ober the past 5 years which other non 1st seeded club has performed more consistently than Arsenal? A semi final appearance a quarter final appearance and 3 R32 appearances.

good to see kagawa finally getting a game!!

reckon it will be a tough game for us tonight

United and City to both win tonight I reckon.

Think United will win but City just worry me full stop in Europe, regardless of who they are playing.

Very attacking line up from both, expect a United draw and a City win.

Moyes will need Rooney to be dropping in deeper so as to not get overcrowded in the middle.

United should win but the front 3 of Leverkusen are in prolific form between them. Surprised Bender is on the bench

I didn't realise Bayern had sold Emre Can. With their current options in midfield I suppose it's not a huge risk but he was touted as a huge talent.

They have a buy-back clause to be fair.

Fellaini already having 10 times the effect on the game than Cleverley.

Crimey wrote:They have a buy-back clause to be fair.

Didn't know that, cheers

Mis-hit

So many things wrong with that goal. Manchester United lucky to be a goal up.

lovely offside goal by United, good hit by rooney though

Going well for Iker Casillas subbed off injured after 13 mins

Leverkusen have been pretty awful in possession so far, bring on lars bender at HT?

Bender's injured I think.

Fernando wrote:Going well for Iker Casillas subbed off injured after 13 mins

It's meant to be for Diego Lopez.

Prediction: Fellaini and van Persie to be sent off in the same game at some point this season.

Can bring on who they like you can't compensate for inept linesmanning   with united in lead now can't see them losing it.

The Special Juan wrote:Bender's injured I think.

He is on the bench. Although he might not be fit.

The Special Juan wrote:Prediction: Fellaini and van Persie to be sent off in the same game at some point this season.

Van Persie seems to have found his temper again, hasn't had it for the past two years but for some reason this year he's looked angry all the time. He nearly got himself sent off in the Liverpool game.

Utd pretty dominant here, another goal before HT will kill it

Crimey wrote:

The Special Juan wrote:Prediction: Fellaini and van Persie to be sent off in the same game at some point this season.

Van Persie seems to have found his temper again, hasn't had it for the past two years but for some reason this year he's looked angry all the time. He nearly got himself sent off in the Liverpool game.

He's just got a petulant streak. He has it at Utd, he had it at Arsenal and I bet he had it at Feyenoord. RVP does seem to be a bit more "angry" this season though.

The Special Juan wrote:

Crimey wrote:

The Special Juan wrote:Prediction: Fellaini and van Persie to be sent off in the same game at some point this season.

Van Persie seems to have found his temper again, hasn't had it for the past two years but for some reason this year he's looked angry all the time. He nearly got himself sent off in the Liverpool game.

He's just got a petulant streak.  He has it at Utd, he had it at Arsenal and I bet he had it at Feyenoord.  RVP does seem to be a bit more "angry" this season though.

Yeah he was famous for it at Feyernood, and he definitely had it at Arsenal, thought he had matured last year at Manchester United but this year he's been a lot more angry.

I wonder if it's lack of Fergie keeping him in check. He's had very experienced managers looking after him for a decade and although Moyes is not at all inexperienced, how many "superstars" has he dealt with? Anyway, RVP seems happy enough so hopefully this passes.

 Rooney 


Leverkusen equalize by Rolfes 1-1

Whoa whoa whoa.

Why did RVP run in then stop on the 6 yard linenon the Rooney miss?!

Citeh 2-0 up now

Ah well, an offside goal cancelled out by a deflected goal. That seems fair.

Id expect he thought he'd tap it in since went round the keeper.

Unsurprisingly Leverkusen's best work coming down the Utd left

Oh Robin van Persie!

2-1 - RVP digging United out a hole yet again - No idea what Leno was doing guess pitching for a move to United by sabotage 

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